I
admit, I have an obsession; it’s to catch the most billfish in the Gulf of
Mexico, not to mention the largest Blue Marlin on the Texas Coast.After spending 27 years as a Professional Rodeo Cowboy the
competitive attitude is hard shake and has been spilled over to my other
passion, Billfishing!I have spent
all of my life hunting and fishing around the world, from the Atlantic Ocean to
the far reaches of the South Pacific!
I believe in a competitive edge in all sports, working harder at fishing,
better information about an area, being more alert, rigging the best lures and
baits, having better technology onboard and just being lucky.Luck sometimes just happens or sometimes people make it happen by doing
all the right things, it’s called being prepared!Now don’t get me wrong fishing is enjoyable, relaxing and exhilarating
but being organized and prepared for an offshore trip will add to the rewards
of your success.

First,
before I head offshore my information search starts with weather.This can dictate not only where I’m going to fish but also if I’m able to
going fishing period.The general rule of thumb is if the wind is 10 knots or less
it’s going to be a beautiful day, anything up to 17 knots is fishable but a
little bumpy.Beware of the wind
switching direction during the day as the seas are likely to be confused or
bumpy and may stay that way until the direction stabilizes.

Second,
I check water temperature and
structure.This is where
Hilton’s charts come into the picture; currents develop along the edge
of the temperature breaks and when it’s over structure it is the key element in finding bait, rips and weed
lines which are instrumental in locating many species of offshore game fish such
as Wahoo, Tuna, Dolphin, Kingfish, Ling and of course Billfish just to name a
few.Hilton’s charts are the
best
and most current source of offshore
structural
information on the market!Weekend
warriors and tournament fisherman take note, the first one to these areas are
more likely to cash in!

Third,
I look at saltwater bulletin boards for postings in my fishing area, talk to
other offshore Charter Captains and even look over the catch of local head
boats.This information can help
you draw a pattern of the bite, bait location and bait movement.This type of information is particularly valuable if you are fishing a
new area or fish only on weekends.

Forth,
Develop a fishing plan.It is
important that you know where you want to fish and you may even want to create
GPS waypoints along possible temperature breaks, especially those over
structure.Creating a plan will help you optimize your fishing time and everyone
knows that the only way to catch fish is to wet a hook.I would suggest also creating a backup plan that may overlap the primary
plan.Only execute the backup plan
if you seem to be completely off the fish pattern and have other information
such as Channel 68 VHF radio reports of fish activity.

Fifth,
Create a checklist that can be used every time you go offshore fishing. The
checklist should contain line items pertaining to engine maintenance, fishing
equipment, bait and groceries.
Fishing offshore is not a sport to take lightly, have the self-discipline to use
the checklist on every trip because there are no stores in the middle of the
gulf and even more important there are no mechanic shops.

Of course there
is a lot more to catching fish offshore than the five steps above, however if
you practice self-discipline and pay attention to detail you will have a lot
more time to fish when you are on the water, not to mention you and your crew
will be a lot more comfortable.
Also remember to conserve our resources and only keep what you will eat!